After finally losing his temper and using his magic outside of the school at his foster family, Harry Potter is somewhat surprised at the lack of punishment. The whole thing is just cleaned up and he is allowed to return to Hogwarts. The only thing he finds out is that Sirius Black, the first ever escapee from the feared Azkaban prison, has got all the wizard’s fearful for Potter’s safety but they are confident that Hogwarts, guarded by the horrific Dementers, is the best place for Harry.

6/10

A step backwards as this film loses the humanity of the previous instalment. The visuals are less impressive and John Williams’ off-the-peg music is conspicuously bland but the biggest problem is director Alfonso Cuarón’s completely flat handling of all the material.

Unhappily existing at his Muggle family anxious to return to Hogwart’s, Harry Potter is visisted by a house elf who’s mission is to stop him attending this year at all costs. Despite the elf’s best efforts, Harry manages to get to school but he might wish he hadn’t as petrified animals and students and writing in blood on the walls warn of the re-opening of the legendary Chamber of Secrets and the unleashing of the horror within.

8/10

Significantly better than the first episode with vastly improved special effects, more interesting photography and lots of ideas and good moments. Kenneth Branagh steals the show as a superstar wizard, Jason Isaacs is good value as what will hopefully be a recurring character but the two male leads, Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint, provide the movies’ unshakable heart and soul.

6/10

Solid start to the massively lucrative franchise that sees plenty of ideas clearly and carefully placed on the big screen by director Chris Columbus. He makes the film a little too slow and even, clumsily lumps John Williams music on and doesn’t have access to state-of-the-art visual effects (CG replacements for the actors are particularly noticeable) but doesn’t make the mistake of making a bad film. With this first year of Hogwart’s safely sorted, a foundation is laid for the remainder of the series.

Harry is attacked by a pair of dementers in his muggle village of Little Whinging and the unlikeliness of this event and his use of magic while under-age is enough to have Harry expelled from Hogwarts or to have him, and, by extension, Dumbledore and their claim that Voldemort is back, discredited in the mass media.

5/10

Some spectacular spell effects and good work from the cast aren’t enough to make this flat fifth year of Hogwarts spring to life. Director David Yates also manages to nearly obfuscate what is probably the central message of the movie that it is beneficial and wise to have friends when facing trials. In fact, the more you consider the movie, the more you realise that the plot makes no sense at all. Nothing happens for any reason, it just happens, and director David Yates seems content that you simply be distracted by the noise and pretty lights. That doesn’t bode well as he is returning for The Half-Blood Prince.